Indiana Jones. I grew up enthralled by the character of Dr. Jones and his erstwhile associates: Marion Ravenwood, Short Round, Sallah, Marcus Brody, Henry Jones, Sr., Mutt Williams, and the many colorful villains of his archeological (dare we say, grave robbing?) career. Raiders of the Lost Ark premiered in 1981 followed by Temple of Doom in 1984 and finally The Last Crusade in 1989. I came along in-between Doom and Crusade, so for me, Indiana Jones has always existed alongside Star Wars, Star Trek, and other franchises that my family loved.
With great joy in 2008, a mere 19 years after he rode off into the sunset, I went to the theater while in college to see the long-awaited next installment of Dr. Jones’ career: Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. I wondered if that would finally be all, but 15 years later in 2023, Indiana had one last adventure in him for Dial of Destiny.
Between Star Wars and Indiana Jones (and many other films!) I have watched actor Harrison Ford all my life. It will be a sad day indeed when he “goes first into the next great adventure” but his beloved characters from Han Solo to Indy will always be with us.
There is something evergreen about stories that span the world, led by a great action hero who never loses his hat. Steven Spielberg and George Lucas may not have been wholly original themselves when creating the character, mining as they did the 1930’s and 1940’s action serials that they themselves enjoyed once upon a time. Somewhere between robbing the past, and grabbing from their present with Harrison Ford, they created an icon. Something about the fedora, leather jacket, and bullwhip was an instant classic, all brought to life by Ford’s portrayal.
I got to see Dial of Destiny on Independence Day with my parents, and it really felt like a love letter to the character and the adventures he has gone on, while being an entirely new foray into the world that Lucas and Spielberg created so long ago on a Hawaiian beach as Star Wars was premiering back in Los Angeles. Dial does not shy away from the character’s age and fragility, matched by that of Harrison Ford who is now 80 years old. In itself, it is amazing that Ford has the energy and ability to portray such a physical character, helped no doubt by stunt doubles both digital and real, but all of Ford’s acting prowess is still on display as Indiana is world weary, regretful, and facing the end of his teaching career, archeology, and life.
Eventually I assume that even Indiana Jones will be rebooted for a future generation, as all old things become new again. Like Han Solo being re-portrayed in Solo: A Star Wars Story, you can’t keep the good archeologist down. Plus, Nazis always need their comeuppance, and who better to punch them repeatedly in the face than a good old American professor? “The pen is mightier than the sword” as Marcus Brody exclaims, and while Indy presumes that the real dangers to archeology might be folklore, he finds himself in plenty of scrapes along the way.
Dial of Destiny ends on a bittersweet note, both to the film and the franchise. I need to see it a few more times to see how I really feel about the story, but my initial feelings are that it is a solid entry to a grandly entertaining series. If you were to ask me which Indiana Jones film is my favorite, it would have to be Last Crusade. The interplay between Sean Connery and Harrison Ford is fantastic, and I’ve always loved the father/son story. Raiders of the Lost Ark and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull are two and three. I don’t find Temple of Doom enjoyable to watch, despite some really great sequences and some fine moments. As I’ve said, having only seen Dial of Destiny once, it is hard to rank it. But I’m glad for any Indiana Jones I’ve received, and those that put their hearts and souls into the films deserve all the praise. Films are meant to entertain, and Indiana Jones does that the best of any.
a simple man 